How Close We Become
by Angel of Lost Dreams
Summary: This is something I wrote for one of my best friends and kind of plays off of the movie, but there are no wizards or magic in it. Please R&R!


It is a slightly cloudy day, and as the sun begins to rise above a beautiful mountain view of a little town nestled in between the two mountain ranges. A small silhouette slowly approaches the town and stops just before it reaches the downhill slope of the mountain from which it was approaching. The shadow slowly lifts it head to face the sun and watches as it slowly rises over the horizon. The sun slowly begins to shine upon the shadow's face, all of the sudden another shadow slowly joins the other and also stares towards the small town that was beginning to stir as the sun began to shed its first rays upon the town and beginning a new day.

In unison the two shadows removed the hoods of their cloaks that covered their whole bodies down to the ground. Each one revealing a beautiful young girl's face who is close to becoming a woman. The young girls hair slowly fell down one to about to the middle of her back and the other down to just below her shoulders. One had dark brown hair and the second had dirty blonde hair. As they both once again in unison looked into the sun, their eyes sparkled a brilliant blue and a beautifully dark hazel. The young girls names were Mariam, who was the first to be seen, and Emily who was the second girl.

Once again they lowered their gaze towards the town were they knew their families awaited their return. As the girls began to walk towards the town, two men came towards them and began to call their names. One man had light blonde hair and amazingly light blue eyes that shone with an intensity that sent chills up Mariam's and Emily's spines. The other man had the same eyes as the other but had a more dirty blonde hair color. The two girls gasped and began to run along side by side each other praying and hoping that the men would not be able to catch them before they reached the town.

Yet, that is not how it played out, before the girls completed four steps the men caught them around the waists, and covered their mouths with rags that had a sweet sort a smell to them. Before either one of them could scream for help, they began to feel themselves slipping into darkness or everything around them began to become blurs, and every word uttered by the men was incomprehensible to Mariam and Emily as they slowly slipped into darkness. The last thoughts they remember thinking was, now the game is over they have us and we will never be free ever again.

At last slowly, Mariam opened her eyes but saw nothing but darkness all around her. Mariam began to feel around in the darkness searching for the one girl who she truly knew she could trust, Emily. Needless to say before she was searching for Emily for more than a minute she found her body unmoving and very cold to the touch. Yet Emily, slowly began to move as Mariam called her name thrice over, "Emily, Emily, Emily are you all right?"

Now by this time Mariam's eyes had become acquainted to the darkness around them. Emily finally rose and began to freak out when she attained that she could not see anything around her, but Mariam told her in a soft and calm voice, "It is all right sis, your eyes will become adjusted to the dark in a minute or two but until than continue to breath. Remind yourself when you get scared that I am right here next to you and will never leave your side."

After hours and hours of waiting in this darkness and not knowing where they were Mariam and Emily heard voices outside of a door, which they could not see. The first voice, which Emily recollected from her memory as the man who had capture her. Who had the undimmed light blue eyes. He spoke slowly saying, "Have the girls begun to move yet? Have you not heard a word from behind this door? Very well, we shall go check ourselves." But than the second man's voice said in a quicker and very elegant tone, "Do you think that we should arm ourselves in case they try and attack us, Erik?" There was a cruel, cold laugh that followed this statement and than these words, "You are fool Jason, to think such a precaution is necessary. For they are only girls and unable to fight against us, strong and powerful men like us. Therefore let us go inside and have a little chat with these girls." At this statement the two girls looked at each other in utter disgust.

Suddenly, the room was flooded with light and Mariam and Emily were blinded by something they had been deprived off for so long a time. Than they both heard a voice saying, "Oh look Jason, our slave are awake and ready to please and serve us." At once Emily's ability to keep her words under control snapped and she blurted towards the man who had spoken, "We are never going to serve you, in fact we don't even want to be hundred miles away from you for that would never be enough. Take back those words or I'll..." as Emily tried to get up she fell immediately down onto her knees. She realized that her feet had been tied so as to prohibit her being able to get up and attack the man who spoke to her in such a horrible way.

As Emily gasped in pain from the fall, her capture laughed cruelly and walked towards her as he said, "Or you do what? Ha! You can't even get up on your feet. You're helpless and at my command, my dear." Emily and Mariam both looked away as their captors knelt down before them. With a dither that showed in every possible emotional expression, they both felt a strong hand placed underneath their chins and forcing them took look into their captures eyes, and the two girls gasped in utter disbelief of how shockingly light blue the men's eyes were. The two men forced them to look into their eyes and swear to them, "That they would be faithful and that their only mission was to please them." After Mariam and Emily replied with a quiet and slave like manner, "Yes, my lord." In unison the men reached behind the girls and untied their feet from the rope, which bound their legs together, and assisted them in standing up.

Emily and Mariam were blindfolded and lead them to their chambers. Just before they were pulled away from one another as they felt their hands slipping from one another, in unison together they said, "Sis, I will find you and than nothing can separate us until death do us part. This I promise you!"

After what seemed like hours to the two girls, they once again regained their ability to see what was happening. All though a wall only separated them it felt to Emily and Mariam as if they were worlds apart from each other.

For simplicities sake we will go with one person at a time, but before I begin on the person's experience of these two young women. Would they be able to hold the strength of their minds at full strength or would something force them to forget the dream of freedom forever? We shall see if it was just enough time to give their captors the ability to change every thought in their minds, so that these young women won't dare even think of running away. Well onward and forward as we continue to follow the tale of these miraculous women.

When Emily's blindfold was removed from her eyes, she saw a room of elegance that was fit for any prince or princess but certainly not for a girl who is a slave to a man. As Emily was thrown into a mind whirling time and space. She realized that no matter how hard she tried to continue to keep a sound mind with the thoughts of an escape with her dearest and most precious friend in the world. The realization hit with the force of a bull charging into a metal guardrail in a ring, she knew now that Erik was showing her this place so as to entice her into a trap from which she could never return. She knew that if she fell for this trap she would be past the point of no return and never be able to escape from the position of slave to this man.

Her mad whirl ceased when Erik said in her ear gently, "Well? What do you think of the room? It is quite impressive is it not? This is where you will be staying with me for the duration of your time with me. Let me set done the rules for you, that I wish you to obey so as to please me. Firstly, you shall never when you approach me look me in the eyes unless myself instruct you to. Secondly, when you come into my presence you shall always curtsy and say 'my lord' and so on and so forth. Lastly, you shall never think of ever running away from this place, for if you do your punishment my dear, could cost you your life and that is much to pretty of a thing to lose just because of trying to run away. Is all this clear to you?" Automatically, Emily replied, "Of course my lord! Everything is crystal clear, and I promise you that I will try my up most to not break these rules of which you have set before me. Even though I am only a girl and will always make mistakes since men were made more perfect than us lowly women."

Erik than passed around her just barely brushing her shoulder with his cloak that he was wearing on top of the traditional evening attire that was suitable for men. Since Emily did not follow immediately behind him, Erik turned around and asked, "What is wrong? Please come in." Emily than replied, "Its just that, well this room seems to lovely. I don't know if a slave such as myself should enter such a magnificent room." Quietly Erik laughed underneath his breath but than promptly replied, "Just because you are a slave Emily does not mean that you can not enter and besides it is my wish and pleasure that you enter this room and serve me. Now come."

For many days and nights Emily served Erik faithfully but was always wondering what had become of the girl who she called her sister. Was she ever going to see her again? Or had death claimed her life and they were separated forever? We shall have to see.

As for Mariam well her story is much the same as Emily's just with a different man. When Mariam's blindfold was removed from her eyes, she saw a room of elegance that was fit for any prince or princess but certainly not for a girl who is a slave to a man. As Mariam was thrown into a mind whirling time and space. She realized that no matter how hard she tried to continue to keep a sound mind with the thoughts of an escape with her dearest and most precious friend in the world. The realization hit with the force of a bull charging into a metal guardrail in a ring, she knew now that Jason was showing her this place so as to entice her into a trap from which she could never return. She knew that if she fell for this trap she would be past the point of no return and never be able to escape from the position of slave to this man.

Her mad whirl ceased when Jason said in her ear gently, "Well? What do you think of the room? It is quite impressive is it not? This is where you will be staying with me for the duration of your time with me. Let me set done the rules for you, that I wish you to obey so as to please me. Firstly, you shall never when you approach me look me in the eyes unless myself instruct you to. Secondly, when you come into my presence you shall always curtsy and say 'my lord' and so on and so forth. Lastly, you shall never think of ever running away from this place, for if you do your punishment my dear could cost you your life and that is much to pretty of a thing to lose just because of trying to run away. Is all this clear to you?" Automatically, Mariam replied, "Of course my lord! Everything is crystal clear, and I promise you that I will try my up most to not break these rules of which you have set before me. Even though I am only a girl and will always make mistakes since men were made more perfect than us lowly women."

Jason than passed around her just barely brushing her shoulder with his cloak that he was wearing on top of the traditional evening attire that was suitable for men. Since Mariam did not follow immediately behind him, Jason turned around and asked, "What is wrong? Please come in." Mariam than replied, "Its just that, well this room seems to lovely. I don't know if a slave such as myself should enter such a magnificent room." Quietly Jason laughed underneath his breath but than promptly replied, "Just because you are a slave Mariam does not mean that you can not enter and besides it is my wish and pleasure that you enter this room and serve me. Now come."

For many days and nights Mariam served Jason faithfully but was always wondering what had become of the girl who she called her sister. Was she ever going to see her again? Or had death claimed her life and they were separated forever? Well let us find out.

After what seemed like decades to Emily and Mariam, but was only truly five years, their hard work finally paid off. Since Emily's and Mariam's lords both had to report to court the following day, it was customary for one slave to accompany his/her lord to court. As Mariam and Emily neared their destination, the two men who did not travel even relatively close to each other greeted the other with a gay voice saying, "Ah, my dear friend and fellow court attendee. How goes it on your neck of the woods? I am glad that it going well for the two of us."

Emily and Mariam at first did not recognized each other, but within minutes of walking next to each other they gasped in surprise as they realized that it was the sister who they had not seen in such a long time. They in unison said in a hardly comprehendible voice for the men but easily understood by Mariam and Emily, "Oh my god, is that you sister? Look at how you have changed in five years. Thank goodness I am finally able to see you again. There are so many things we must share with each other before we are separated and once again go our separate ways."

As quickly as a man could Erik interjected, "I'm sorry to break up this little happy moment between the two of you, but if we are to be on time for our time for jury duty the four of us must begin walking again for a little while longer." At last they reached their destination point, and had to go through a long line and process to confirm that they were supposed to be there and that they only had one slave with them.

After having to stand and wait for hours in that line they were escorted by an usher, and I remind the reader when I say usher that it is not one who shows you to your seat in a theater. The four of them were to share a room together. It had a balcony and two beds and a beautiful view of the ocean, which neither of the girls had ever seen before. Both of the men went behind their slave and whispered gently into their ears, "Someday I will take you down there." The big question that was running through Emily and Mariam's minds was _but would that day ever come_, for they still had just enough lucidity of their old selves to be able to continue to think about trying to escape and regain their freedom.

That night after the men had gone to bed Emily and Mariam lay awake waiting for their chance to move and plan together the greatest escape possible. At last, they were finally able to move without waking up Erik and Jason. The two girls met on the balcony that faced the ocean. After a time where neither of the two girls said anything to the other Mariam said, " What are we to do as there is no way that we can possibly escape without being recaptured and than punished for our actions? For so long I have thought of freedom, but every time I think of an idea to win that freedom my mind tells me that it would never work and gives me all the downsides to that idea. So every time I am just back to where I was before, nothing! Ugh, I just want to find a way to regain the freedom that I once had but it seems that it shall never happen. What are we to do Emily, what?"

Solemnly and without a trace of emotion in her voice Emily said, "I have thought the same things as you and they have also lead me to nothing. Yet as I was laying there waiting for the opportunity for us to finally move and talk to each other, I thought of a plan that only has one downside. The plan I thought of was to win their favor over all the other slaves and in that manner secure ourselves with the opportunity to become free once more..." as Emily took a breath Mariam said, "What is the one downside to this plan?" Emily than continued, "If our lords' were to find out about what we were trying to do we would for sure be punished. But if we are sly about it I do not believe they will be able to find out about this plan, and this is how I plan to do that!" Emily than quickly whispered the plan in Mariam's ear and after she was done Mariam in her excitement exclaimed, "Omg, what a wonderful idea, I can not believe I did not think of that myself!"

Realizing what she had done Mariam covered her mouth as she heard the men moving about in their beds'. What the two girls' had dreaded would happen came true, the two men sat up and looked out into the balcony and saw Mariam and Emily sitting together. Yet the men did not grow furious as they had thought would happen but got up and joined them on the balcony and together the four of them spent the rest of the night until sunrise laughing and talking about the most random things ever imaginable to anyone.

Now I must interject and for a minute remind you that these men were not completely stupid. They to had a plan to ensure that these young women could not escape from them. They knew from the moment they had separated the two girls that they must keep their minds focused on only pleasing them and not on running away. So they had arranged that when they were to be in court the two young girls would accompany them, but they would serve drinks and food to those in his majesty's court. In that way those who were in the room would closely watch them. The guards would also be watching the two young women. The day finally arrived where both the plans were to be put into place, during jury duty.

There was just one problem for the men's plan and that was that there were no guards present in the room. Accepting those whom escorted the prisoners into the room. At once the girls rejoiced inside for they knew that the escape would be much easier than initially planned. They therefore did not complain on putting on the horrendous outfits for serving the drinks and food to those in the courtroom. Many times Mariam and Emily wondered when the trials would begin so that they could make their escape.

Yet, I must say unfortunately that Erik and Jason had one final trick up their sleeves that would ensure to continuous enslavement of Mariam and Emily. Just before the time was called for the men and women to take their places, Erik and Jason went up and whispered in passing into the girls' ears, "Stay here and sit in the back, don't make a sound and watch the trials that are happening today. If you disobey well than it is your life that you are risking."

They than walked towards the place where the jurors sat and watched the trials and their decided the fate of the accused. As Mariam and Emily had no choice but to sit and watch the days events whirl by, they began thinking if tomorrow would be the day to escape. But tomorrow came and went without success.

Day after day this happened, until they both started to think about forgetting the plan and just being happy as slaves to these men. Yet, Emily knew that a time would come when they could escape and not be caught is at night when their lords are asleep. So they agreed to do it that night, and at last be free. The night of Mariam's and Emily's escape was one of the longest and most nerve-racking times of their lives. They had to wait and wait for their lords' to fall asleep.

When at last after what seemed like a decade, their lords were finally asleep, and Mariam and Emily began to make their moves to get away from the bed onto the balcony. They quietly but quickly gathered up their things and met out on the balcony. They nodded at each and went down the stairs leading towards the beach and their freedom.

Unfortunately, moments after Mariam and Emily had left. Their lords awoke to go for a ride along the same beach that the girls were walking upon. As the girls enjoyed the thought of at last being free they heard horses running at a gallop towards them. Then and there they knew that if they were caught it would be the possible end to their lives. They began to run side by side, but they could not out run the horses, which held their lords who came and grabbed them around the waist, and pulled them on to the horse.

They than slowed the horses' pace to a slow but steady walk so that Erik and Jason, could talk to their young slaves about their conduct. They both said, "Why are you out here at this time of morning, my dear? You should be inside the house getting breakfast ready for us, not trying to escape. Why are you doing this?" Emily and Mariam both replied, "All I want is to be free. In what way is that a crime to be free? You yourself are free, yet it seems you like to be bossed around by others who are supposedly higher than you. I am struggling because you are hurting me and, I would like to be able walk on my own two feet." But Erik and Jason only laughed saying harshly, "Freedom! You shall never be free until the day you die, and that won't be till you are in your fifties. Also, as to you walking on your own two feet is completely out of the question. For you shall just try to run away from us. Which will indefinitely lead us to playing a game of cat and mouse, which is of no interest to us at all. So you will be riding in front of us back to the house where you will make us a magnificent breakfast as you always have, before jury duty." But instead of a joyous response they got nothing, so they shifted the two girls into a more stable position on the horse and held tight to them so that they could not escape. They than turned their horses round, so as to head back to the house.

At last, they reached the house where they were staying. Erik and Jason told the girls to dismount and tie the horses to the railing for a later time. All four of them than entered the house, and split up the two girls into the kitchen to prepare breakfast, and the two men into the room so that they could change from their riding clothes into more gentlemen like suits for the jury stand. In the room they began to discuss what they should do about Emily and Mariam.

At last, they decided to make a deal with the two girls about their freedom. When the men came back out again, very much refreshed the saw a marvelous breakfast laid out and waiting for them, with the girls standing and waiting for them to be seating so that they could all eat. During the meal instead of the normal quiet that was per say "honored" at the table. Instead Erik said to both of the girls, "We have thought about the points that you two told us about on the ride here. We have decided to let you have your freedom, but on the condition that no matter where you go, you must keep in touch with us so that we know what is going on. If you agree to these terms than after today's jury trials we shall return to our real home, where you will pack up your belongings which we have kept for you, and depart on your on separate way from us."

The girls looked at each other and the connection between them told each other that it was a good idea to agree to the terms for they were not that hard to comply to. So in unison they said, "We agree to the terms that you have said and promise to up hold them." The next day, they all awoke and began to pack up their things for the departure. After breakfast was eaten, and everything put on the horses the four of them, two to each horse, mounted and began to ride off towards their home.

After many days of traveling, they finally reached their destination. The two girls went into their rooms and gathered the belongings that they thought they had lost to fire. As the sun was setting the girls prepared to disembark for heir hometown where their families anxiously waited for their return.

When at last they reached their hometown. Cheers and screams of joy greeted them. Every one in the village was there to meet them, and wearily Emily and Mariam exchanged hugs with every one but then insisted on returning home to relax and see their families after a long time of separation.

After many days of getting accustomed to the change in life styles, a guest arrived at Emily's door and asked to see and speak with her. This person was to Emily's surprise Erik, who had come in order to tell Emily something that he had held back on saying before she left. After Emily seated Erik in the living space, and asked if he wanted anything to drink, she asked him what he had come here for. He replied in a grave voice, "I myself am not sure why I have come. That is I am not positive about it, its just… its just…" Emily slowly moved towards him and put her fingers on his lips and said, "I too have a secret to tell, and it is not something I could not have put down in writing. My secret that I have longed for so long to tell you is that I love you and always will. No matter how hard I tried to convince myself that I didn't love you, I just never could. So know tell me what is your secret? Do tell me." Erik than said, "I have also told myself many times that it could not be true, and that I was dreaming, but I never could deny it. I also love you and I can never ever try to tell myself differently. So I ask you this question Emily. Will you marry me?" Completely speechless for words, Emily watched as Erik pulled from his coat pocket a beautiful ring. After a moment, of making sure it was really happening to her she said, "Yes, I will, but it seems so amazing that you choose me when there are so many other young women to chose from."

At that moment, Mariam walked in just in time to see Erik put the ring onto Emily's ring finger. She said quietly after a moment, "I never thought the day would come, when I would see you get married, yet I am sure that you thought the same thing for me." After she finished her sentence a man appeared at her side, but no it was not Jason as you might think, but a different man. Mariam said in reply to the two others' confused stares, "This is Justin, he is my fiancé. We are to be married as soon as I finish my high school education. When are you planning on getting married, sis?" But Emily just shrugged her shoulders saying, "When ever we feel the time is right for the two of us."

But Mariam's face suddenly darkened, and she said, "That is not the only reason that I have come to see you, sis. The other reason is to tell you that I am moving back to Qatar, very soon and will probably never come back again. I came to say goodbye and that I hope to see you again some day along the way."

After Emily and Mariam cried many tears, which they knew that every time they thought of each other, they would come again even stronger. Emily than bid goodbye to the sister who she loved so dearly, at the edge of the village limits, and watched as Mariam and Justin walked off into the setting sun. Erik than joined Emily at the top of the hill, and watched as Mariam turned around and waved on last loving goodbye to Emily, and than disappeared over another hill into a world unknown to Emily where here sister would walk into with the memories that they both shared.

This is the long tale of two girls who met and became sisters to each other, and also of the separation of the two but of the continuous bond they shared between them, that would never die no matter what. Many of the facts in this story are true but many are made from the imagination of the writer so as to avoid many painful topics that surround this beautiful but sad tale of two sisters who will never see each other again.

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